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Facing the rainy season in a tent; KONPAY's campaign for shelter

Fri, 03/12/2010 - 16:13 — hansen

Mario and kids in 2007Mario Charles is an artist in Jacmel. His specialty is papier mache conceptual production for Carnival, but his shop in the historic art district was full of playful, colorful artisana as well as kitchen staples like bowls and place mats. The earthquake destroyed his studio, his home and it's adjacent neighborhood shop run by his wife.

After the earthquake on January 12 (there have been hundreds of tremors and lesser quakes since then), Mario scrambled to find shelter and did manage to find a tent for his wife and three children. The only safe place in his neighborhood to pitch a tent is in the middle of the cobblestone street, so he and six other families set up tents along the center of the road. The men guard the sleeping families at night, nap in the early morning, and during the day set about to continue their business as they can and manage the rubble that their neighborhood has become.

Mario's mother, who was injured in the quake and spent a week in the hospital, had no home to return to when she was released from the hospital and has been struggling through convalescence in her son's tent on the cobblestone ground.

Now the rainy season has begun. Mario and his neighbors are unable to dig ditches in the concrete, so when it rains, the only protection from the refuse flowing down the center of the street are chairs. In the tropics it can rain for hours.

CAN YOU ORGANIZE A TENT DRIVE? Visit http://tentsforhaiti.com/ for information on how to plan a drive and for the address to our donated warehouse in Hialeah, Florida.
Haitians are still living in crisis mode fueled by the lack of distribution by international aid agencies. KONPAY has been distributing food, water purification systems and personal hygiene supplies in communities in and around Jacmel for two months. We will continue to make distributions to the communities with whom we have worked for years, and expand our reach to families who are brought to our attention.
Farah and Kikim's tent
The chances that we can save a family from the misery Mario and his neighbors are going through are better if we work together. Please make an online donation in any amount through our Razoo page, where we are charged no transaction fee: http://www.razoo.com/story/Mg2010-East-Konbit-Pou-Ayiti-Konpay. KONPAY needs your support to help provide safe shelter as the rains start.